Short notes on Pulakesin II

When Pulakesin II (c. ad 610-643), eldest son of Kirtivarman, came of age, he claimed the throne at Vatapi but was resisted by his uncle, Mangalesa.

With the assistance of his brothers Vishnuvardhana and Jayasimha, Pulakesin defeated and killed Mangalesa and ascended the throne in c. ad 610.

The internecine strife and civil war lasting for about three to four years prompted some of the feudatories to declare independence, notably Govinda and Appayika.

Pulakesin befriended Govinda, defeated Appayika, and then turned his attention to consoli­dating his position and extending his empire by conquests.

A list of these conquests along with the early history of the Chalukyas is inscribed on the walls of a Jaina temple at Aihole, circa ad 634-35.

The prasasti was composed by a Jaina poet, Ravikirti. Pulakesin, says the prasasti, defeated the Kadambas of Banavasi and the Gangas of Mysore in the south.

In the north, he defeated the Mauryas of Konkan and, by a naval attack, reduced their island city of Puri (Elephanta near Bombay), which was probably their capital. Further north, he attacked the Latas, Malwas and Gurjaras and subjugated them.

He captured Pishtapura, the capital of Kalinga and handed it over to his brother, Vishnuvardhana, who thereafter established the independent kingdom of the Eastern Chalukyas there.

By ad 625, Pulakesin II had become almost an overlord in the Deccan. During this time he is stated to have exchanged embassies with the Persian emperor Khusrau III, an event on which scholars are not unanimous.

It is said that Harsha used to import horses from Persia and the embassy could also have been from him.

The occupation of Kalinga, and the feudatories of Ganga and Banas, brought the Chalukyas and the Pallavas into contact and Pulakesin II mounted an expedition against King Mahendravarman of the Pallavas.

Thus started a long feud between the Karnataka and Tamil countries which continued for several centuries. Although Pulakesin started with an advantage, he really could not do much.

Even Ravikirti says that the Pallava king took shelter in the ramparts of Kanchi, the capital city. Pallava records claim that Mahendravarman defeated an unnamed enemy some 15 miles from Kanchi.

The battle was thus indecisive and Pulakesin thereafter was preoccupied with North Indian politics. Harsha by this time had become a mighty emperor and attacked Valabhi to extend his territory.

The ruler of Valabhi appears to have first resisted the attack with the help of the Gurjara king, Dadda II “of Broach, but gave way when Harsha won him over by giving his daughter in marriage to the king of Valabhi.

As the Gurjaras, along with the Latas and Malwas, were feudatories of Pulakesin, a conflict was inevitable.

It took place probably between 631 and 34, and Harsha was defeated decisively. “Hsuan- Tsang says that Harsha was the aggressor and failed in his objective to subdue Pulakesin, suffering heavy losses in elephants. Ravikirti says exultantly that Harsha lost all his harsha (joy)” (A Comprehensive History of India).

By c. 640, the rule of the Chalukyas had lasted for nearly a century and the empire reached the peak of its excellence, as noted by Hsuan-Tsang during a brief visit to the kingdom.

However, the undecided war against the Pallava king, Mahendravarman, appeared to rankle Pulakesin and when Mahendravarman’s son and successor, Narasimhavarman, formed an alliance with the exiled Ceylonese king, Manavarman, he decided to start an offensive, and almost captured Kanchi.

Narasimhavarman, after initial reverses, fought back and defeated the Chalukyan army in three successive battles at Pariyala, Manimangala and Suramara.

Encouraged by his success, he went right up to Vatapi and carried away as trophy a column installed by Pulakesin com­memorating the Chalukyan victory over Pallavas. In addition, he engraved an inscription on a rock behind the Mallikarjuna temple at Badami attesting his occupation of the city. Shortly after this, Pulakesin died (c. AD 643).